Day 4 of 30 Paintings in 30 Days

I'm having to blog in the evenings due to work.  Today's painting is an abstract on 5 x 7 inch canvas board.  I had some odd paint in my collection I think it may be fabric paint but I'm not sure as they are those little pots which come as a group and I seem to have mislaid the cover.  The reason I'm thinking they are fabric paint is because they are tacky to when touched.  Anyway I'll probably paint over it again at some point but for now I'll leave it to see if it "untacks" itself.

I could actually try an acrylic sealant to see if that helps.  I also wanted to add some black to make parts stand out.  Pop over to Leslie Saeta's blog for more eye candy.

Catch you tomorrow.

Anita

What's On Your Work Desk? Wednesday 296

It's a sunny Wednesday and time for WOYWW.  Pop over to Julia's blog the Stamping Ground to find out more and to join in.

Normally I only show you the bit of desk where I have my work.  However, today I am going to show you the whole of the desk.  Are you ready? Here we go .........as you can see it's full of stuff most of which gets used on a regular basis so it's silly having to put things away and get them out again.  The acrylic paints have their own place to live but I've been using them this week for the 29 faces art challenge  I'd started working on today's face last night but I prefer to paint in day light so left it looking a bit forlorn.  On the back wall is where I put up some of the art I have traded or collaborated in.  Those are inches on the black board and propped up against it are 2 canvas boards with some Moos/moo houses.  The green box contains papers and ATC blanks ready to be worked on and a few other nick naks on top that lives my pencil case  with my markers and other pencily stuff.  

Thanks for popping by and for leaving your comments.  I'm off to the gym shortly and then have a reflexology booked so I'll be visiting all the other blogs later to have a nosey at what's on everyone's desk  

Have a great day.

Anita

Oh and just a little plug for my earlier post where if you leave a comment you can be in with a chance to win one of my Swarovski heart necklaces and handmade embossed heart card.  Click here.

30 Paintings in 30 Days - Update

Okay so this post is going to be photo heavy since I haven't posted any updates on my 30 day challenge.

I'm still working on these

What's On Your Work Desk? Wednesday 292

It's Wednesday already I can't believe how quickly this week is going by.  I'm sure January is supposed to be a long month and the weeks drag by.  Oh well never mind here we are for another WOYWW #292.  Pop over to the Stamping Ground and I'm sure Julia will tell you all about it.  

So what's on my desk this wet and cold Wednesday?  This is how I left my desk last night.  You can see the 2 eye studies I did in pan water colours (Daler Rowney) for the 30 paintings in 30 Days challenge hosted by Leslie at Slices of Life.  One of my goals for 2015 is to become friends with pan and tube water colours and also to study the facial features to help improve my face drawings. 

Here are a close up of the eyes.  As you can see this eye is far too wide.

This one is much better and more in proportion.  I worked out that the white parts of the eye were approx half the width of the iris.  Of course I'm well aware that everyone has different size eyes.  

Thank you for visiting and leaving the comments each one is read and replied to.

Anita

January Art Challenge

30 Paintings in 30 days.  I enjoyed this challenge last year so I'm doing it again this year.  Last year my theme was faces.  This year I'm having an open theme - we'll see where it leads to who knows I might produce a masterpiece hahha.

Here are day one and two as you can see they're not brilliant but they were already sketched out (found among my stash).  They are ATC size 2.5 x 3.5 inches.

You can see what everyone else is creating on Slices of Life blog by Leslie Saeta who is hosting the challenge. 

Anita 

Sunday Sentiments #4

A very quick post from me today for the Sunday Sentiments link up with Inky Dinky Doodle - this is a journal page I made nearly 12 months ago and I thought I would share it today.

"The past is just a ghost, the future is a dream, all we ever has is now - Bill Crosby"  

I love this quote.  There is only the NOW.  We can make intentions for the future but the universe will deliver only when the time is right.  When I look back at some of the things that have occurred in my life I can see now where it was all leading - or at least some of it.  The last few years I've become more aware of the Law of Attraction and how the universe works and how to make my life better and maybe direct it to how I want it to be in the future.  

Please do pop over and see what the other artists are sharing for Sunday Sentiments.

Anita

#blogtoberfest14 day 26

What's On Your Work Desk? Wednesday #279

Hello, hello and good afternoon on this rather grey but dry Wednesday.  I'm a tad late posting this weeks WOYWW post - want to know more about WOYWW or fancy joining in the fun then pop over the Stamping Ground where all will be revealed.

On my desk today are 2 shop bought cards............yes yes I know but these are so cute.  Well okay I'll let you into a secret I'm not actually going to send them to anyone.  I bought them to use as stencils!!! innovative or what eh?  Want to know where I got them from?  Ahhh heck okay I like to share and I'm nice like that hahaha - Paperchase yep good old Paperchase.  There were a few other designs but I opted for these two (for now) and at £2.50 each you can't grumble.  It's a nice weight so can easily get some good use from them.

Well that's me for today.  I'm going to link this to #blogtoberfest14 for day #8 of blogging - find out more here at Shells in the Bush 

Anita

What's On Your Workdesk - WOYWW 277

Time for this weeks WOYWW - What's on Your Workdesk Wednesday.  Want to know more then pop on over to the Stamping Ground.  

On my desk this windy Wednesday is a painting of a face.  I recently bought some acrylic inks from Oak House Studio.  I love painting with acrylic paint but have never tried the inks.  I did find them challenging as they do dry very quickly so you can't blend the colours together.  After a few goes just using them on dry paper I decided to wet the paper I was using and use the inks as you would use water colour paints.  I think this technique worked better but you do have to be careful and let the paint dry first if you don't want it to bleed - like the lips - they were still slightly damp and when I added the water around the face the red from the lops bled onto the upper lip and under the nose.  A lot more practice is needed me thinks.

Want to see what other artists have on their desks this Wednesday?  Then pop on over to the Stamping Ground and follow the links you never know who you're going to bump into.

Have a wonderful Wednesday

Anita

Happy 2014!!!! New Goals and Challenges.

Happy New Year everyone.  Hope you've had a good start to the new year and suffering too much from a fuzzy head.

So as the new year begins everyone makes resolutions to lose weight, eat healthy, exercise more etc etc.  But these are the common things what about really challenging yourself or setting goals? 

My challenges/goal for 2014 so far are - 
- to try and read at least 52 books (yep one a week may not happen but that's the challenge), you can find the facebook page here if you fancy joining in.

- finish the 40 portraits challenge (there is no time limit on this one)

- the 29 faces challenge starts again in February -1 face each day

- make space by using up all the fabric and wool I have in my collection

Another challenge I signed up for (early this morning haha) is 30 Paintings in 30 Days - I'm not sure how I'll do with this one as I'll be heading off to the USA in a couple of weeks - I may have to get some made in advance.

My first painting for the 30 paintings in 30 days is a mixed media Artist Trading Card (ATC) it measures 2.5 x 3.5 inches.  

So there we go the start of my New Year.

Happy New Year

Anita

Art Every Day and Gritty Jane's 40 Portraits

I've not really kept up with posting everyday for this challenge because I've been busy with a couple of commissions.  I have been creating every day and I'm including the commissions as part of this - I can't show you them as they are for presents.  I can however show you a couple of drawings I've done in the last few days.  They're what is described as whimsical and they are part of another challenge on facebook called "Gritty Jane's 40 Portrait Challenge". Fortunately there is no time limit on this one so no pressure to produce something everyday.  You'd think I had enough to do coming up to Christmas - but hey I like a challenge and I've met some amazing artists on my "challenge" journey.

#1/40

This one is in my altered book.  I gessoed the page but I found that watercolour and gesso do not like each other.  

#2/40

This one is on water colour paper and is painted with inktense pencils and neo colours.  The white highlights are acrylic and I've added some stamped images to fill in the background.

Fancy a challenge? Here are the links to both pages - 

Art Everyday Month -blog

Gritty Jane's 40 Portrait - facebook

Anita